Turkish PM to meet with head of Soma mine following mining disaster

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with Alp Gurkan, the head of the Soma mine where the explosion occurred, Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported on May 14.

The newspaper cited the written statement of the Soma Kömür İşletmeleri A.Ş. company.

It is expected that the company head will also meet with Turkey's minister of energy and natural resources, according to the newspaper.

Erdogan has arrived in the country's Manisa province, where a mine explosion occurred yesterday, on May 13.

Turkey has announced a three day mourning period for victims of the mining accident, the Turkish Cabinet of Ministers said on May 14.

Turkish flags will fly at half staff in the country, as well as in all the diplomatic missions for the three day mourning period, according to the Cabinet of Ministers.

Some 238 people were killed in the mine accident in Manisa province, according to the latest data.

The Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources does not have accurate data on the number of workers who were in the mine at the time of the explosion, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said on May 14.

The previously published data on the number of workers in the mine at the time of the accident was provided by the head of the mine and could not been confirmed by the ministry.

The minister added that some 370 people have been rescued as part of rescue operations.

Few chances remain to rescue the miners, Yildiz said earlier.

The mine has burst into flame and although the miners have few chances for survival, the rescuers will do everything possible, the minister stressed.